Opinions - Hofmann vs. Hippies?

[Skywalker]

Recently many have probably read that Albert Hofmann condemns the misuse/abuse of Lsd made by hippies and "criminals" like Leary. Well, it's all bullshit...At the beginning of the LSD Symposium in Basel, the good doctor has strongly belied this voice appeare on several newspapers. Leary and him had different views about the diffusion of the "wonder drug" but - as Hofmann says - there was always friendship and respect between the two psychedelic icons...

[radiometer]

I think a lot of people interested in psychedelics have mixed feelings about Leary, I know I do.

[Skywalker]

Dear Radiometer, Leary made several mistake, we know. Probably he was too much enthusiastic and had a too big ego, but he was surely in good faith and without him probably many of us weren't here now. In these day I'm re-reading "High Priest": it is a very good, interesting book...Give it a look!
...See you out there at full moon...

[Nagognog2]

Tim Leary went to a gated community called Millbrook. Art Kleps went there, too. Art Kleps forgot to lock the gate. And cut the phone lines. Down went LSD25 (along with the other known high-powered psychedelics). Ah well. Live and Learn.

If you ever find the keys to cosmic-conciousness...for Gods' sake don't give 'em to a Harvard psychologist! Those critters are plug-knutz!

[Alicia]

I've always wanted too, maybe meet and get wasted with leary, and whole host of other favorites, Other than what I read about him, does anyone know what he was like being around? And what with the brotherhood of love trying to poison the us drinkin supply with lsd did he have anything to do with that?

[Silence_Inc]

it only shows that the Dr. is a gentle en concious being. noone would ever call Leary a criminal. but like many others - i to have mixed feelings about his character and actions. I think he was too much in the NOW to forsee what future would bring if you preached it like him! ... he should have used his brains and know that 'keeping queit' is the best action. the world just wasn't ready for him.

[Alicia]

when will the world be ready?

[-k4ge]

I belive that the actions of both Hoffmann and Leary where justified. They both persued the study of LSD in the way that they saw was the in their best intrests.

[treefingers49]

My feelings for Leary are pretty negative. Mostly due to the fact that he made a deal with the government and ratted out the people that helped him break out of prison.

Apart from that, I think he was much too eager in spreading LSD to the masses. The psychedelic icons I respect are contain a much smaller spotlight and treat the drugs with a little more respect than leary provided.

[Herbal Remedy]

Originally Posted by treefingers49

My feelings for Leary are pretty negative. Mostly due to the fact that he made a deal with the government and ratted out the people that helped him break out of prison.

Apart from that, I think he was much too eager in spreading LSD to the masses. The psychedelic icons I respect are contain a much smaller spotlight and treat the drugs with a little more respect than leary provided.

Accourding to anything I have read (which isnt too much) none of the members of the Weather Underground (the people who helped Leary break out) were impacted by Leary's testimony. Leary was a very intelligent man, I mean, he pretty much broke himself out of prison by beating the psychological evaluations (that he helped design). I dont think it is too far fetched that Leary could have somehow "cooperated" without jeapordizing the well being of those who helped him greatly (of course nobody is perfect, and I wouldnt be surprised if some kind of intelligence was sacraficed).

This is from an open letter from the friends of Timothy Leary:
The Weather Underground, the radical left organization responsible for his escape, was not impacted by his testimony. Histories written about the Weather Underground usually mention the Leary chapter in terms of the escape for which they proudly took credit. Leary sent information to the Weather Underground through a sympathetic prisoner that he was considering making a deal with the FBI and waited for their approval. The return message was "we understand."

I wasnt there so I dont have any firsthand knowledge of how everything went down, but thats what I have read, peace...